hat and cloak.'
'And Marcus's so-called Children's Challenge obviously would be an example of the first type of campaign.'
'A perfect example. Gives him an aura of take-charge philanthropism, a moral platform that's virtually attack-proof. You know anybody who's against kids?'
She gave him a faint smile.
'I can think of a few times when our own bugaboos were young that we almost qualified, but you've made your point,' she said. 'The pseudo adversary campaign…
that would be his dispute with you over the crypto bill, wouldn't it?'
He nodded. 'If you're going to play this sort of game, the potential rewards should always outweigh the risks, and Marcus is well aware that the issues surrounding encryption really don't excite much public reaction. The average person doesn't see how relaxing export controls is going to make any difference in his daily life. Nobody cares except special-interest groups within the high-tech industry on one side, and the law-enforcement and intelligence communities on the other.'
Ashley paused to digest it all.
'The strategy behind the UNICEF crusade isn't too down-deep,' she said finally. 'Let's give the kids computers and sell more Monolith software and have everybody feel good and pat themselves on the back. But what's he trying to achieve by taking you on over encryption? I don't see the… the subtext.'
Gordian shrugged a little.
'You've asked the million-dollar question,' he said in a vague tone. 'And I'm not sure I can answer it.'
Silence filled the room. Ashley realized he was sinking beneath it again, and leaned forward, lightly touching the fingertips of both hands to the edge of his desk.
'I understand how you feel, Gord,' she said. 'Do you accept that as a given?'
The question caught him by surprise.
'More than just accept,' he said in a quiet voice. 'Knowing that you understand… it's like a prize I've won without quite being sure how I did it, or whether it's even deserved. It makes me stronger than I'd be if I didn't know.'
She smiled thoughtfully, looking straight at him. 'I'd never, never want to minimize your difficulties, or suggest there's anything in the world I wouldn't do to help you with them. But what I was starting to say before…'
He studied her face in the brief pause. 'Yes?'
'I was going to say that if you'd put those problems away for a few hours, if we could share some of the space you get up at thirty thousand feet right here on the ground, together, I'd trade UpLink, this house, our cars, every cent we have, everything we own. Or do you always have be to alone in the pilot's seat to let go?'
There was more silence. Ashley thought she could see the detached, inward-looking expression gradually lift from his features, but wasn't sure. Perhaps it was only wishful thinking.
She came close to exhaling with relief when he slowly reached out, covered her hand with his own, and let it rest where he'd put it.
'Let's go out to dinner, you name the restaurant,' he said. 'Your enchanting new haircut deserves to be viewed by one and all.'
She smiled gently.
'You may have noticed,' she said, 'that my membership at Adrian's spa and beauty salon wasn't among the things I indicated a willingness to surrender.'
He looked into the oceanic greenness of Ashley's eyes and smiled back at her.
'I very well may have,' he said.
Chapter Nine
When Max Blackburn first told Pete Nimec that he'd gotten a line deep into the working guts of Monolith, and that he was using it to trace what he'd described as 'improper business practices and financial arrangements,' Nimec had listened with close interest — and by not ordering him to abandon his investigation posthaste, had tacitly okayed its continuance. Still, as Chief of Security at UpLink, he had cautioned that UpLink would under no circumstances be dragged into a situation that might be perceived as corporate spying; the potential liabilities were far too great. Nimec had also pointed out that it would be inadvisable for Max to provide any further details about the probe should he decide to move ahead with it on his own string… unless or until he turned up something of concrete significance.
Max had gotten the gist without anything more having to be explained. Deniability had been established with a nod and a wink — as it always was. If his activities came to light, no one else at UpLink would be dragged into the consequent chocolate mess. Nimec wanted clean hands and fingernails from the level of clerk to upper management.
Officially, that had been the end of his involvement in the fishing expedition. Unofficially, he had been eager to see what developed. And was becoming increasingly so as Marcus Caine's public attacks on Gordian intensified.
Their understanding kept very much in mind, Max had been exceedingly circumspect with his references to the matter in the three months since their initial phone conversation about it… when he mentioned it at all, that was. Nimec had gleaned that Blackburn's conduit into Monolith was a female employee with whom he'd originally formed a — quote, unquote — social relationship and only later enrolled as an informant. That she held a high-level position in the office of Corporate Communications, Singapore. Beyond these two pieces of information, he knew little else.
Of course there were other legitimate reasons for the men to stay in touch. Max had been sent to Malaysia for the purpose of emplacing security procedures at the Johor ground station, and many of his plans required Nimec's input and advance approval. Which was why he'd tried phoning Blackburn from his home office at four o'clock Sunday afternoon, making it the first thing Monday morning Johor time. After reviewing an expensive upgrade Max had proposed to the bionetric scanners last week, he'd decided to give him the green light to begin installation — only to learn that he hadn't yet arrived at the office.
'Mr. Blackburn was in Singapore for the weekend, and it's quite possible he's run into delays getting back across the causeway,' his receptionist had said. 'The causeway crossing has been awful lately… some sort of ship hijacking has Customs bollixed. Still, I'm certain he'll be in soon. Would you like me to try contacting him on his mobile?'
'No, it isn't anything urgent, just tell him I called when he gets in,' Nimec said.
That had been eight hours ago, and Max still hadn't been in touch. Nor had he had a chance to give Max another ring; the child-custody arrangement Nimec had worked out with his ex-wife allowed him weekends with their son Jake, and he'd just returned from dropping the twelve-year-old off at home after taking him to a baseball game.
Still, Nimec wondered if his message had somehow gotten lost or slipped Max's mind, and wanted to try him one more time before turning in for the night. Blackburn's greatest weakness was a tendency to let curiosity lead him in too many directions at once, and he needed to be reminded that the ground station was his primary responsibility.
Nimec went over to his desk, picked up his phone, and keyed in Max's number.
'UpLink International, Max Blackburn's office.'
'Joyce, it's Pete Nimec again.'
'Oh, hello, sir,' she said. Then hesitated a beat. 'Mr. Blackburn hasn't shown up yet.'
Nimec raised his eyebrows. 'Not all day?'
'No, I'm sorry. Nor has he phoned in.'
'Have you tried calling him?'
